Favorite universally available beer

[theowlman16]

What is your "holy grail" of brew...that I will find on the shelf in NC. Of course I would like to try Pliny the Elder, Heady Topper, etc. But what is your absolute hands down favorite, that is thankfully sold nationwide. Any style. Any price.

 

[ButteryJones]

Founders Breakfast Stout. Not KBS just the regular one. Pretty easy to find in the Philly area & I'd imagine most other places as well

 

[LLBeanJ]

Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout. I'm never disappointed and it always seem to hit the spot.

 

[jurgenph]

not sure if it's readily available nationwide, but Chimay blue has been popping up in local grocery stores, and restaurants lately.


J.

 

[mongoose33]

When you say nationwide you really limit what it might be.

When I'm out for dinner or whatever, I'll see what they have on tap or in bottles. If I can't find anything worthwhile, I'll always default to Boston Lager.

 

[mrdauber64]

Stone IPA would be my choice for nationwide availability. Just a good, hoppy beer and is available everywhere(as far as I know).

 

[Cavpilot2000]

Dogfish Head 90 Minute

 

[r4dyce]

Second the left hand milk stout. You can find lagunitas almost everywhere now.... If looking for more basic then Fat Tire. Even more basic then whatever Sam seasonal is around. You know what I see everywhere in stores that I love, delirium tremens. Never see it in a restaurant but every reputable beer or liquor store I've seen has it

 

[6midgets]

Two hearted ale or Dales Pale Ale.

 

[pwags23]

Can't go wrong with Boulevard's Tank 7.

 

[TomoT]

Universally available. Genuinely the only American beer that springs to mind over here would be Blue Moon or the far superior Brooklyn. Need to widen your scope...

 

[Kharnynb]

In Finland, a universally available good beer would be koff Porter IV.

 

[Oldskewl]

Bells two Hearted, Dogfishead 90 min, Founder Breakfast Stout

 

[eric19312]

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I've got lots of choices here so don't end up buying that often but it's a classic and not hard to find.

 

[oceanic_brew]

In Canada I've gotten the Westmalle Dubbel all over.

 

[radwizard]

Sierra Nevada Pale, and Black Butte Porter (Deschutes)

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

Some of these answers? Widely available means to me you can buy it in a grocery store anywhere in the U.S. So Founders Breakfast Stout is out. Delerium Tremens, seriously? I have had Bells Two Hearted at exactly one restaurant in Paradise Valley, AZ. New Belgium, Sam Adams, Kona, Stone, Ballast Point, Deschutes, these are the brewery's we are talking about here. Deschutes makes great beer and Black Butte Porter is my pick for widely available beer.

 

[grampamark]

What he said^

I'd add Sierra Nevada and Lagunitas to that list. Lagunitas Little Sumpin' would be my pick (though it's hard to disagree with Black Butte).

Mark

 

[DarkStarNJ]

Bells does not distribute in NJ

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Boston Lager

 

[jodell]

Some of these answers? Widely available means to me you can buy it in a grocery store anywhere in the U.S. So Founders Breakfast Stout is out. Delerium Tremens, seriously? I have had Bells Two Hearted at exactly one restaurant in Paradise Valley, AZ. New Belgium, Sam Adams, Kona, Stone, Ballast Point, Deschutes, these are the brewery's we are talking about here. Deschutes makes great beer and Black Butte Porter is my pick for widely available beer.

I can't get Deschutes in oklahoma....

 

[Qhrumphf]

Deschutes just recently started distro around here (last couple years).

There are few brands truly available nationwide. Even some of the biggest. Is New Belgium even in all 50 states?

As far as regularly available everywhere, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

 

[Sbe2]

Southern Tier IPA, Sculpin, or two hearted

 

[Cyclman]

Duvel

 

[SoCal-Doug]

Pilsner Urquell

 

[slym2none]

Saw Wicked Weed's Lieutenant Dank in my local Kroger today.

Thanks, Budweiser...?

 

[r4dyce]

Some of these answers? Widely available means to me you can buy it in a grocery store anywhere in the U.S. So Founders Breakfast Stout is out. Delerium Tremens, seriously? I have had Bells Two Hearted at exactly one restaurant in Paradise Valley, AZ. New Belgium, Sam Adams, Kona, Stone, Ballast Point, Deschutes, these are the brewery's we are talking about here. Deschutes makes great beer and Black Butte Porter is my pick for widely available beer.

Well where I am, you can't buy beer in a grocery store, and breweries like new Belgium only started distributing here this year. So when I think widely available I mean I can go to any liquor or beer store around and find it, and yes I see tremens all the time. It must because of common distributers or something because even in small shops have it. Agreed it's weird, but true

 

[Homercidal]

Too many to name, but of course I like Bell's Two Hearted, Oberon, Founders All Day IPA, Deschutes IPAs, Guinness Extra Stout.

That's a few. I generally look to drink more local, or rare craft beers when I get the chance. But those are some of the "everyday" type beers I would choose over BMC.

 

[Br3w4u]

Well where I am, you can't buy beer in a grocery store, and breweries like new Belgium only started distributing here this year. So when I think widely available I mean I can go to any liquor or beer store around and find it, and yes I see tremens all the time. It must because of common distributers or something because even in small shops have it. Agreed it's weird, but true

Oklahoma? If so I feel your pain!

 

[cmpk24]

because i'm a tightwad,

PBR

 

[GHBWNY]

Don't know how "universally available" it is, but French Broad Brewery's (Asheville, NC) "Wee Heavy-er". I'm in western NY, but my bro lives near Asheville and on occasion he will remember his poor, wee heavy-deprived sibling when he makes a trip back up north.

 

[r4dyce]

Oklahoma? If so I feel your pain!

Massachusetts actually. Thanks to population density there's a liquor store every five blocks or so, so it's not that big of a deal lol. Funny thing is if I drive 10 minutes more up the road to NH I can get beer and wine in the grocery store there, but then they only sell hard liquor in state-run liquor outlets.
Off topic for this discussion, but I find the differences between laws and "legislative morality" to be very interesting/funny.